UMass resident physicians urge Worcester City Council to support reinstating residency health benefits

Resident physicians and supporters told the Worcester City Council on Sept. 9 that management at UMass Memorial had cut a health reimbursement program used by house staff, and asked for the city’s public support for restoring those benefits while contract negotiations continue.

Multiple UMass house staff and union delegates described long hours, high student debt and abrupt removal of mental‑health and health‑reimbursement programs during ongoing collective bargaining. Dr. Bennett Vogt, speaking for the Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR), said the benefit covered copays for members and family dependents and that losing the program had immediate financial and health consequences for residents.

"We deserve more support," Dr. Vogt said, adding that reinstating benefits would help residents “be our best selves in front of our patients.” First‑year and psychiatry residents spoke about 80‑hour workweeks, heavy educational demands and out‑of‑pocket costs after the benefit change.

Councilors and the administration responded with sympathy and questions about how municipal resources could support hospital workforce stability. Council members emphasized the city’s interest in maintaining a robust pipeline of clinicians who live and work in Worcester, and several councilors said they would back the resolution urging UMass Chan Medical School to reinstate contributions to the house‑staff health benefit fund and to bargain equitably.

The council adopted the resolution on a roll‑call vote. Councilors framed the action as a public show of support while noting collective bargaining is a separate process between the employer and union representatives. The council also asked the administration to continue engagement with hospital leadership and to report on any city‑level actions to support health‑care workforce recruitment and retention in Worcester.